The numbers were not necessarily spectacular, but the Stanley Cup Final got off to the best start since 1999.
The Blackhawks’ Game 1 win over the Flyers drew a 2.8 overnight rating on NBC Saturday night, up 12% from Penguins/Red Wings Game 1 last year (2.5), and the highest overnight for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final since Sabres/Stars Game 1 on FOX in ’99 (3.7).
This also marks the highest overnight for any Saturday Stanley Cup Final telecast since Lightning/Flames Game 6 on ABC in ’04 (3.5), and the highest for any Saturday Game 1 since Red Wings/Flyers on FOX in ’97 (5.1).
Keep in mind that there have been only five Saturday Game 1s during that time period (1997, 2001, 2008, 2009 and 2010).
Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final aired on cable from 2000-08. NBC’s first Stanley Cup Final telecast in 2008 (Game 3 on a Wednesday night) also drew a 2.8 overnight.
Saturday’s game drew a 16.8/35 in Chicago and a 13.2/25 in Philadelphia.
NBC won the night in primetime on broadcast, averaging a 1.7 rating in the key adults 18-49 demographic.
Flyers/Blackhawks lags behind other recent Saturday night sporting events on broadcast, including Lakers/Jazz Game 3 on ABC May 8 (4.4), the Southern 500 on FOX, also on May 8, (3.7) and regional Major League Baseball on FOX May 22 (3.6).
